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Author Notes: Every summer now, we look forward to the season for watermelon -- to eat, yes, but also to make a gazpacho found at www.soupchick.com. It's too soon now for watermelon, but the mangoes this year have been plentiful, and I wanted to see how they would adapt to the gazpacho recipe. Very well, I think! Colorful, simple clean tastes... the contrast of sweet and pungent, crunchy and soft made a satisfying experience. - susan g

Serves 6 - 8

2 medium mangoes, ripe

1 medium red pepper

4"pieces greenhouse (or pickling) cucumber

1 large shallot, or 2 small

handful fresh parsley

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2tablespoons olive oil

2tablespoons squeezed lime juice (1 medium)

1teaspoon dried basil (fresh would be better)

1/4teaspoon sea salt

1 - 2teaspoons hot sauce*

fresh ground pepper**

1cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned, with liquid

Cut the mangoes roughly. If very ripe, scrape any left behind, and put it all in the food processor. Pulse so that there are some small chunks and some puree. Turn into a bowl.

Cut the pepper, cucumber and shallot into rough chunks. Put in the food processor with cut parsley pieces. Pulse to chop into small pieces. Add to the bowl with the mango.

Add to the bowl the vinegar, oil, lime juice, and seasonings. Add as much of the tomatoes as you like to arrive at the right balance of liquids and solids -- more or less than one cup. Stir, taste, adjust the seasonings.

*NOTE -- The recipe that inspired me uses Green Tabasco for a distinctive mellow heat. A red chile sauce or sriracha works, as long as the heat is balanced and all the flavors keep their identity.
**NOTE -- I use a blend in my pepper grinder: 2 parts black peppercorns + 1 part pickling spice with broken chiles.